JEREMY M. BERG, PHD, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES (NIGMS), is a recipient of the 2011 Public Service Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS). The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to public service or to the development of public policy that benefits the chemical sciences. NIGMS is part of the National Institutes of Health. Also receiving an award is Norman P. Neureiter, PhD, director of the Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Berg became the NIGMS director in Nov. 2003. He oversees a $2 billion budget that funds primarily basic research in the areas of cell biology, biophysics, genetics, developmental biology, pharmacology, physiology, biological chemistry, bioinformatics and computational biology. The institute supports more than 4,500 research grants—about 10% of the grants funded by NIH as a whole—as well as a substantial amount of research training and programs designed to increase the diversity of the biomedical and behavioral research workforce. In Dec. 2010, Berg announced his intention to step down as NIGMS director at the end of June 2011.

THOMAS G. LYNCH, MD, WAS APPOINTED THE CHIEF OF STAFF for VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Lynch has been acting chief of staff since Jan. 5, 2009. He is also director of the Surgical Specialty Care Service Line (SSC SL), Veterans Integrated System Network (VISN 23). As director of the SSC SL, he is responsible for representing the interests of surgical services at the eight facilities within VISN 23 to the network director and chief medical officer, as well as the executive leadership council. Lynch was chief of vascular surgery at the VA medical center (VAMC), East Orange, N.J., from 1980 to 1986; and associate chief of surgery at the Boston (Jamaica Plain) VAMC from 1986 to 1988. In 1999, he was appointed chief of surgery at the Omaha VAMC. Lynch is also professor of surgery and chief of vascular surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

MICHAEL FEURERSTEIN, PHD, MPH, professor in the Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences’ (USUHS) Departments of Medical & Clinical Psychology and Preventive Medicine/Biometrics was recently appointed to serve on the Systems Policy & Practice: Clinical Survivorship Care Workgroup of the National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center. The objective of this national effort is to facilitate the improvement of quality health care for cancer survivors. Feuerstein also is the recipient of USUHS 2011 James Leonard Excellence in Clinical Research Award for his paper titled, “Measures of Cognitive Function and Work in Occupationally Active Breast Cancer Survivors.” Feuerstein and his research team have pursued research related to factors associated with occupational outcomes in individuals living with the aftermath of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, Feuerstein recently had his award-winning book for cancer survivors, The Cancer Survivor’s Guide: The Essential Handbook to Life After Cancer, translated and published in Chinese. This translation was requested by cancer survivors in East Asia who are increasing in numbers and recognize the importance of survivor self management of health, health care, function and well being as an important aspect of life as a cancer survivor.

JEFFREY LEVI, PHD HAS BEEN APPOINTED CHAIR of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. Levi is executive director of Trust for America’s Health, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to making disease prevention a national priority. He is also professor of Health Policy at George Washington University School of Public Health and has conducted research on HIV/AIDS, Medicaid, integrating public health, and the health care delivery system. Dr. Levi previously served as deputy director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and was an associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health. The President established the Advisory Group as required by the Affordable Care Act to provide policy and program recommendations and advise the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council on chronic disease prevention and management, integrative health care practices and health promotion.

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